Spyro's Adventure Characters Come to Life

The world of Skyland has been taken over by KAOS and his cohorts. Skylander's original, native inhabitants have been frozen and vanquished to Earth. They can only be saved by placing them on the Portal of Power to thaw them and transport them back to their homeland of Skyland. Once there they will need to battle the evil, powerful KAOS and his forces to take back their native land. Using their magical powers and weapons, the Skylanders face many obstacles, adventures and battles before their mission can be completed.

In this adventure video game, toys come to life, characters remember and learn, battles rage and treasures are collected. Children can collect the toy character figures of Skyland and place the ones they wish to play into the game. The Portal of Power transports the thirty different Skylander figurines to life on the screen and allows interaction between toys, child and video game.

The thirty figurine characters each have their own personalities, abilities and magical powers to use to fight the dreaded Portal Master KAOS and his army of bad guys. Each Skylander character has their own personal history and originates from one of eight element categories: air, fire, water, earth, life, undead, magic and tech. The element origination helps determine their individual magical powers and abilities.

By placing these various characters on the Portal of Power, the toy comes to life in the game and can work alone or can join in cooperation with others to fight evil together. They can also fight one another in a battle arena if so chosen. Players choose which they wish to do.

Characters such as Spyros, Whirlwind, Ghost Roasters, Slam Bam and Dino Rang come in various packs. The Starter Pack, Single Character Pack, 3 Character Pack and Adventure Pack are all available and each contains characters, universe codes and sticker sheets, as well as trading cards. The Portal of Power comes with the Starter Pack which contains the adventure software for the game.

With many different adventures, locations, challenges and puzzles, the game is always a new and exciting experience rather than repetitive. Children become the good Portal Masters directing their magical warriors in a battle with the evil cohorts of KAOS, the evil portal master. There is cartoon violence in the game and it is suggested for play by children aged 10 and above. While made for children, many adults will enjoy these adventure figures and play action when their Spyro's Adventure characters come to life.

The Hipster Nerd

While the majority of gaming's most read publications gave Modern Warfare 3 around 9 out of 10 on average, the metacritic gaming community somehow came up with a shameful 3.2 on the Richter scale. How does a game that shatters a revenue record previously set by Harry Potter and lauded by its peers find itself under such scrutiny?

Trolls.

What is a troll? In pondering the phenomenon of hate surrounding the new Call of Duty game I came to the realization that the troll is a Hipster in disguise. Instead of tight pants and scouring Is Anyone Up he wears a World of Warcraft Tee and hits up forums.eveonline.com.

It's easy to see the parallels. Watch Hipster Jim's favorite obscure band break out of the "scene" and onto a larger stage and Jim can no longer stand the band he loved "before anyone else even knew they existed". Like Jim's once upon a time Hipster band, MW3 seems to have "sold out". The sheer amount of causal gamers that Modern Warfare has drawn into the gaming folds staggers the trolly mind. He will be damned if he lets his beloved past time fall into the hands of the jock who bullied him because of his geekery.

From his mother's basement, the troll reviled Modern Warfare 3 and its popularity drove him mad. He took to the forums and YouTube comment boards. Reading his posts, your average soccer mom would wonder how the game was so successful. But being on top makes you an easy target and this Hipster nerd isn't your average consumer. He prides himself on his active online "contribution" and in anonymity he finds his courage. The Internet is his "Second Life". While 6.5 million "bros" took to playing MW3 on the first day he was busy trolling. He hates the game for the same reason its so popular; because it easily accessible and quick fun.

The Hipster troll wants gaming for himself. It's his identity. He thinks "If it's popular there must be something wrong with it because the masses are stupid and I'm unique.". But I've been a discerning gamer for well over 2 decades and I love MW3. So what if it's the King of Pop. Sure most pop culture FAILS because it has to appeal to the middle. But if a game can retain what makes it special to it's hardcore audience while appealing to a broader audience, then it will naturally achieve a massive following. Modern Warfare 3 strikes the balance of being accessible and at the same time it rewards the most seasoned gamer.

So let me be the first to say "Hipsters you trolls shall never be.". You aren't cool enough. Let your twisted envy inform your skewed view of the best selling game of all time. You're the only one missing out and no one at Activision is losing sleep because you think their game "sucks". I know it's socially acceptable to play and no one is going to look at you the same way they would if you told them you were a level 60 battlemage. The grand irony. Real Hipsters will probably be playing Modern Warfare 3.

the Gamers Gone

As the games of today continue to evolve, and in some cases, de-evolve it is interesting to note that the gamer of today seems to be much more forgiving of mediocrity. In order to examine the possible reasons why, we must take a step back into the past.

The games of yesterday, including pen and paper role playing games, were by today's standards sub-par. At least that is the assumption by many. However, if this were really the case, we would not continue to see new versions of older games. In programming, some of the first games a person will create are replicas of older falling block games, parallax scrolling level games, maze games, and of course text games. For some programmers it is a logical progression to learn from the past. For others it is because they understand that building on the ideas of older games demonstrates that there are few real differences other than the technology used.

Where does that leave us? In order to understand the games, we must understand the gamer. Like any other profession, the game developer is going to put their energy and resources into a game idea they believe will be popular. This litmus test is based on what sells and what does not. So what do gamers expect from modern games? I would hypothesize that many gamers have no idea what they expect, but they know they want something. Many of the games today are created with a limited play-time expectation, instead of looking for a formula that will promote longevity.

Many of the games today are rated by how many hours of game play they have, such as 40 hours of play. This is one of the tools that developers use, which gamers have become accustomed to. The trend for the hours of play in some game genres has continued to get shorter. Instead of gamers expecting more from the software they purchase, there is a reluctant acceptance of the lower standards. Without using names, a recent first person shooter was released with a lot of fanfare and high budget advertising. By all accounts it was expected to be the next generation of shooters for the genre. Instead of meeting the expectation, the software was released with the same engine the previous installment of the game had used 3 years prior. The single player campaign came in at a paltry 6 hours of play. In essence, the game was simply retooled from a previous game and instead of calling it what it was, the loyal following ignored the fact that they had been taken for fools. So what we have is a substandard product being released and because of pride or stubbornness, the gamers in the community have given the developer a pass instead of holding them accountable.

The game developer is going to release whatever they believe will make them money and that is as it should be due to the time and resources they put into their product. The problem isn't that the developer may release a game that is terrible. The real issue is that because the gamers of today do not really know what they want, they will accept anything. If more gamers had higher expectations fewer developers would take advantage of them. The conclusion must be that the reason many games of today are substandard is because there are fewer principled gamers today.

Top Free games iPod/iPhone

Fun games can be hard to find on the App Store because there are so many that are simply not worth the time it takes to download them. But for the sake of game lovers everywhere I will share with you a few of my favorite games on my iPod so that you can enjoy them as I do.
Fall Down - Fall Down is a fun game where there is a several lines and a ball. You tilt your device back and forth to move the ball through the lines quickly so you don't get squished by the top. It's challenging. It's one of those games where it's easy to learn how to play, but very hard to master.
Angry Birds Lite - OK, you have probably heard of this one if you haven't already played it! It is largely popular. In Angry Birds Lite you aim birds in slingshots to kill pigs, the pigs are surrounded by wood, ice, and rock. You have to break the wood, ice, and rock to get to the pigs, wood is easy to break, ice might take a few hits to break down, and you can't break rock. This game is really quite fun! It comes with 12 levels.
Fruit Ninja Lite - In Fruit Ninja Lite, you slash fruit in half with your finger, 1 point for every slashed fruit. You can get bonus points by slashing multiple fruit at one time. If you let 3 unslashed fruit fall off the screen, game over. If you hit a bomb, game over. You can unlock 3 different blades and 3 different backgrounds. I like this game but you can only get up to 125 points! You can buy the full version to be able to get more points, though.
Wedding Dash Lite - In Wedding Dash, you play as Quinn, a wedding planner. You are in charge of picking out the wedding cake, the food, and the honeymoon spot based on the couple's preferences. Then you seat the guests and serve them their food. They will have seating preferences. It may be hard to get everyone seated where they want to be and serve them their food before their patience runs out. This game is like Diner Dash or Hotel Dash or any of the other "Dashes" but this one is my favorite! You have to think fast for this game. It's very challenging.
Temple Run - A game must have! In Temple Run you play a character running away from several evil monkeys, you are running along a path but there are many turns, gaps, and obstacles that you have to get past. Your goal is to get as many coins, and go as far as you can before you make a mistake and the evil monkeys get you. This game is highly addicting and it gets challenging.
Draw Something - Draw Something is a pictionary type game. They give you a choice of three different words of different difficulties. The harder ones are worth more points, of course. After you have chosen your word, you draw it on your device. Then your opponent guesses what it is and then vice versa. If you like pictionary, then this app is a must have for you.

Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard Review

The Logitech G15 gaming keyboard is one of the most popular selling gaming keyboards on Amazon.com but is this keyboard's popularity due to its form and function or merely its looks that are appealing to gamers?
The Logitech G15 gaming keyboard is supposed to be the ultimate keyboard for both amateur and seasoned gamers alike. It claims to have all the right features to make play faster and more comfortable for those hours of playing time. The LCD screen and back lit keys are supposed to help make your playing experience incredible even in the dark of night. But can this gaming keyboard live up to all of it's promises? Let's find out.
User reviews for the Logitech G15 feel that this keyboard has many benefits even over newer keyboards. Here are some of the benefits of the Logitech G15 that gamers say they enjoy:
• The LCD panel shows you all you need to know while in a game
• easy to use this keyboard when playing in a poorly lit room
• allows for fast game play especially when you add the G9 mouse
• comfortable even after hours of play
• The cables for the mouse and headphone don't get in your way and interrupt your concentration
• Priced fairly compared to some other gaming key boards
The Logitech G15 has many features that provide the benefits that users of this gaming keyboard have mentioned. The LCD panel keeps you informed of what is happening during your game and even makes it easy for you to find out what server your friends are using to play battlefield 2142.
The keys on the Logitech G15 keyboard are all back lit which makes it possible for accurate play even in darkened rooms with no lights on and the cable management system keeps your mouse and headphone cables neatly tucked away under the keyboard.
There are 6 programmable G keys which allow for both single stroke and extremely complex macros. The accompanying palm rest makes it more comfortable for you to play for longer periods of time without your hands tiring or cramping during play. And the off switch for the windows button on the Logitech G15 comes in really handy to help you avoid mistakes when it is accidentally bumped or hit.
However, the Logitech G15 keyboard is not perfect and several users find the keys themselves quite clunky and find that they take a lot of getting used to. However, considering all the benefits this keyboard offers gamers the clunky keys of Logitech G 15 are soon forgotten in the excitement of improving your speed and your scores.
Overall, while the Logitech G15 may not be the right keyboard for all gamers it certainly seems to have all the features necessary to keep most gamers happy. Since the Logitech G15 keyboard is considered to be one of the most reliable, functional, and well priced keyboard's on the market it certainly is a good choice for those who are looking for both form and function in their gaming keyboard.

SteelSeries 6GV2

The SteelSeries 6GV2 is referred to by many as the heavyweight of gaming keyboards. But how well does it really stand up to the competition? In the world of PC gaming keyboards, you'll be able to find a lot of choices but sadly not a whole lot of variety. It used to be that the main difference between a gaming keyboard and a non-gaming keyboard was the presence of backlit keys. That is, keys on gaming keyboards usually had backlights in them, allowing them to glow in the dark according to the user's preferences. But instead of doing what every other gaming keyboard manufacturer in the world seems to be perfectly OK in doing to their products, SteelSeries has decided to take the road less traveled with the SteelSeries 6GV2. This review aims to find out just how much of a heavyweight the SteelSeries 6GV2 really is. If you wish to find out, then continue reading.
Some people might wince upon hearing that this keyboard is a properly designated one, but a quick look at it or a cursory glance at its spec sheet will tell you that it certainly isn't something that's designed mainly for children. The keyboard is decked out in an all-black color with white lettering, and is built upon 18 karat gold-plated Cherry Black MX switches underneath. The SteelSeries 6GV2 is a mechanical keyboard that's made purely for gaming, and yet it retains a look that means serious business.
When playing games, PC gamers usually want to have the full freedom to do two things. One is to be able to press as many keys as possible at the same time; this enables them to keep moving, firing, jumping, fragging and even checking on the official scores all at once. And the second thing is the ability to avoid any problems that might stem from accidentally pressing the Windows key that's located on the left side of the keyboard. I was genuinely surprised and glad to find out that the SteelSeries 6GV2 was able to take care of both of these things.
The SteelSeries 6GV2 gaming keyboard has an extreme anti-ghosting feature that allows for multiple keypresses at once, as well as rapid response time that enables quick movements during critical gaming moments. And because of the fact that it uses Cherry Black MX switches for keys, it has a much longer lifecycle than other types of keyboards. Other features of the this keyboard include integrated media keys, USB and PS/2 compatibility, and top-notch build quality.
The SteelSeries 6GV2 is not without its flaws. It lacks a Windows key on the left side and doesn't have the built-in mic/audio and USB ports found on the SteelSeries 7G gaming keyboard. Still, these minor imperfections can't really take anything away from the SteelSeries 6GV2 keyboard's main highlights. After heavy use, I've found that the SteelSeries 6GV2 is indeed a heavyweight after all.

League of Legends

In the last few months of playing League of Legends in both unranked draft mode and in ranked games there have been universal character bans. These champion bans are also confirmed in competitive tournament play due to their overpowered nature. Observations were all made in solo queue so bans named might not be the same for competitive/team 5v5 competition when there is actually teamwork and coordination involved. Here is the top 5 bans that I personally choose when playing in solo queue in the 1700's ELO.
In solo queue, the most universal ban is Shaco. Along with Shaco, there is also Rammus, Morgana, Kassadin, Cassiopeia, and Shen. I listed these based on level of danger each character brings. All of these champions could turn the game around during a team fight or alter the other team's style of playing when chosen. Also generally people ban characters generally because they don't want to go against them either in lane or jungle. Below are the reasons why the bans listed above are considered universal for 1700 ELO below solo queue (my currently ELO).
Shaco is one of the most annoying characters to play against in solo queue. The high mobility of Shaco, early gank ability, stealth, backdoor pushing late game, escape ability, and ambush boxes are key reasons Shaco is constantly getting banned in both high and low ELO. Shaco could have effective ganks as early as level 2 and scale effectively from early kills. The reasons above as well as other nuisances of Shaco make him the most annoying character to play against. Thus, its unanimous decision of either team to get rid of the possibility of playing against Shaco by picking him first picks insta-ban.
Other champions consistent ban reasons:
Rammus - Taunt duration from Puncturng Taunt, high damage from Defensive Ball, effective early level ganks due to the high mobility from Powerball, tanking ability, and late-game scaling round out the reasons why Rammus is a pain playing against.
Morgana - Magic shield ability, how tanky she is, two types of crowd control abilities, sustainability from her passive, and high effectiveness in team fights using her ultimate.
Kassadin - Mobility after level 6 due to Riftwalk, silence from Null Sphere, slow from Force Pulse, domination against other ability power champions in mid-lane, and high burst capabilities.
Cassiopeia - Hard to lane against due to the range on her Q (Noxius Blast), high damage output from her combination of Q and E (Twin Fang), crowd control from R (Petrifying Gaze), and slowing effect from W (Miasma). She stacks and scales effectively into late game and is a great threat in solo fights and team fights. A well-placed Petrifying Gaze could turn an entire group fight around.